tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66304014750935459242024-03-05T15:21:03.816-08:00Miss Whisk's Kitchen AdventuresMiss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-51371765307253546482013-04-28T09:40:00.000-07:002013-04-28T09:40:50.324-07:00Chicken Cutlets with Pecan Sauce<span lang="EN">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEarWibZkxMksMx05FY4dN0texZTO0w8_8ugWxJS2ReOg3CbQIRzGpd_jdk5fxpx8hQ4Ib-40r8K-dtfQYvfLbDo5yzEbXwkr8ieIwbiXWpfzU7TQbi_0X1cjWru7bDc7FT5G8l5vRQ8BR/s1600/0091+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEarWibZkxMksMx05FY4dN0texZTO0w8_8ugWxJS2ReOg3CbQIRzGpd_jdk5fxpx8hQ4Ib-40r8K-dtfQYvfLbDo5yzEbXwkr8ieIwbiXWpfzU7TQbi_0X1cjWru7bDc7FT5G8l5vRQ8BR/s400/0091+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
How many of you do this? I have a big file folder full of recipes that I have clipped from here and there with the intent to try some day. Some of these I’ve had for years. YEARS. Like 10 years, some of them. I decided that if I truly want this blog to be about kitchen adventures, I should take my cooking adventures in a useful direction and start trying some of these long saved recipes. I might find a real gem, or I could at least thin out this mass of ever growing recipes. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUamx7Ts_ViOkGj5Fj5hn79cZL1jEVy6V_Xc8d9SRT23_W0ArRo0iDKqkGW2DtClyaVBMmY5X6SGsVQkuF7yVHPZPRAnv7x621XkYAyKWkCTzDqMx6bIv7dXnKyFkNlTNQymYJw1-jS9nJ/s1600/0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUamx7Ts_ViOkGj5Fj5hn79cZL1jEVy6V_Xc8d9SRT23_W0ArRo0iDKqkGW2DtClyaVBMmY5X6SGsVQkuF7yVHPZPRAnv7x621XkYAyKWkCTzDqMx6bIv7dXnKyFkNlTNQymYJw1-jS9nJ/s320/0011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I told Mr. M. that I would reach into my folder and pull out something to cook and he had to eat it and give me his impression of the success of the dish. He agreed! He’s always up for eating.<br />
<br />
I pulled out <u>Chicken Cutlets with Pecan Sauce</u> that I got from the February 2011 copy of <em>Southern Living</em> (and I don’t really remember tearing out). <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMxeUQXvI0E_gtw08T66BQpifx-Xzai9abuPTjP49dSxEehbo0GQxsBCtVdEMKYWbG071TCM_XGLKZ1Km5Q260BrBrPRRIy8SkFdt9yWiWh5pAF654ECSM8kuUPPu6fegEggr4JyUg7iI/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMxeUQXvI0E_gtw08T66BQpifx-Xzai9abuPTjP49dSxEehbo0GQxsBCtVdEMKYWbG071TCM_XGLKZ1Km5Q260BrBrPRRIy8SkFdt9yWiWh5pAF654ECSM8kuUPPu6fegEggr4JyUg7iI/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I gathered all my ingredients. I was feeling pretty smug that I had most everything I needed on hand, until I took a look at my bottle of apple cider vinegar. I didn’t realize it goes bad. But this stuff had all this ‘stuff’ in it that didn’t dissolve when I shook it up and looked like slimy and gloppy… I just wasn’t chancing using it. So I tossed it and bought some new. <br />
<br />
Toast the pecans. Easy enough.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI7av15nw3Q0XTUEvuuAIZwXxEQF566VCmkxilalScRndwS4P9j_Vq5AQ58wYBJZ5voiy6DcqPCjMxlLCVsmeyzaKPP70t7IG4rxTYfdleCGAICovMEjKfbKbcqHEzw3HCf-PnJ7mkzkS/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI7av15nw3Q0XTUEvuuAIZwXxEQF566VCmkxilalScRndwS4P9j_Vq5AQ58wYBJZ5voiy6DcqPCjMxlLCVsmeyzaKPP70t7IG4rxTYfdleCGAICovMEjKfbKbcqHEzw3HCf-PnJ7mkzkS/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
My problem is always cooking chicken on the stop top; frying. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me. Its like I can never get it cooked all the way through without burning it or at least drying it out like shoe leather. I even butterflied these cutlets cause they were pretty thick. If I hadn’t, I might still be trying to get these girls cooked through.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16gFrjkdWp73v8pMIa8RYdXFL-1jxIayMH6zWQmCye8ClvpL4KsJBDGjt3GmM8mk77DbpbJrlcHUgmzGRZBP2DgXWfafFEaE07E7F56FDdWV-YJj9CiDoyDQwII9DClD-MhrD9cinVzNR/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16gFrjkdWp73v8pMIa8RYdXFL-1jxIayMH6zWQmCye8ClvpL4KsJBDGjt3GmM8mk77DbpbJrlcHUgmzGRZBP2DgXWfafFEaE07E7F56FDdWV-YJj9CiDoyDQwII9DClD-MhrD9cinVzNR/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTE5urBWlT-8qZeLBKtw6v1MCoZnmRLZ2WHH7zYthttJLjN-b4EHCE-5Qz-jLFzK7Dd72-imR0m_X4p42862RV3N8R94xIJdKITdOxweYTOVBGpXIt3hl-_vo2cKOO2u-OvEEhbZmiF_W/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTE5urBWlT-8qZeLBKtw6v1MCoZnmRLZ2WHH7zYthttJLjN-b4EHCE-5Qz-jLFzK7Dd72-imR0m_X4p42862RV3N8R94xIJdKITdOxweYTOVBGpXIt3hl-_vo2cKOO2u-OvEEhbZmiF_W/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
After it was finally done, I made the sauce. It seemed to turn out well. I made couscous and vegetables to go with it. The Kid was pretty dubious about the whole meal. But his palate runs more toward burgers, pizza and meat in a mostly nugget form. </div>
<br />
Mr. M. said he would give the chicken a B-. It was good enough tasting, but not as flavorful as you’d hope. Mostly you tasted the thyme and little else. The chicken had no other flavor, but chicken. The Kid said he’d give it a B, after he scraped the pecans off, cause he doesn’t like nuts. He also suggested that I move my cooking adventures to Sunday night, when he isn’t here. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIqpoUdm1kw44EhmY4COoFWxJS3VSEk8qnEeIcAgi_2-_NDYsq22CEh7n3fyDzQmARqh2UJCka_Q7W7zhqB9KzplJwI018rB5brVZWXE1L0XEREXQz3I-o5FJZnRBP8nQSq0C2V-EGYtj/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIqpoUdm1kw44EhmY4COoFWxJS3VSEk8qnEeIcAgi_2-_NDYsq22CEh7n3fyDzQmARqh2UJCka_Q7W7zhqB9KzplJwI018rB5brVZWXE1L0XEREXQz3I-o5FJZnRBP8nQSq0C2V-EGYtj/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I would agree with the B- rating for this recipe. It wasn’t very flavorful and I can think of a lot of other ways to make chicken more interesting. So this recipe isn’t a saver or to go into the regular rotation. That’s one cleared out of the file!<br />
<br />
If you think you might like a milder chicken dish or can think of what this recipe needs to give it more of a kick, give it a try!<br />
<br />
<u>Chicken Cutlets with Pecan Sauce</u><br />
½ cup pecans<br />
½ cup butter, divided<br />
4 chicken cutlets (about 1 ¼ lb)<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
½ tsp pepper<br />
3 T flour<br />
3 T olive oil<br />
½ cup chicken broth<br />
1 T brown sugar<br />
2 T cider vinegar<br />
½ tsp dried thyme<br />
<br />
Heat pecans and 2 T butter in a large nonstick skillet over med/low heat, stirring often, 2-3 min or unitl toasted and fragrant. Remove from skillet.<br />
<br />
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour.<br />
<br />
Cook chicken in hot oil in skillet over med heat, 3-4 min on each side or until golden brown and down. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with pecans.<br />
<br />
Add chicken broth to skillet, cook 2 min, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Add brown sugar, vinegar and thyme. Cook 3-4 min or until sugar is melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Whisk in remaining 2T butter. Serve sauce over chicken.</span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-11617724297703374342013-04-28T08:51:00.001-07:002013-04-28T08:51:13.011-07:00Coconut Lemon Chip Cookies<span lang="EN">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKUUZXMNb0vy_9wSsYcE5rVu7U1ROeNX0M6pYw24LvINlL6z-uZzy7S1JAOXWS42MdsXX7kD31EyZSOU993BG3oXNkU7s3C94psx-j7YgPmH55tkhDtQX9c4yedBKd2Med3gEIrmLulw8/s1600/214+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKUUZXMNb0vy_9wSsYcE5rVu7U1ROeNX0M6pYw24LvINlL6z-uZzy7S1JAOXWS42MdsXX7kD31EyZSOU993BG3oXNkU7s3C94psx-j7YgPmH55tkhDtQX9c4yedBKd2Med3gEIrmLulw8/s400/214+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I like unusual things. Don’t give me plain, average, boring. I don’t want plain Cheerios! Let’s try the Chocolate ones AND the Peanut Butter Cheerios…. TOGETHER! I don’t want plain hand soap. Give me something that is Passion Fruit Coconut scent with little scrubby beads and moisturizers!!<br />
<br />
So, when I saw these lemon chips at a Mennonite store in southern Iowa when I was shopping with my Mom, I decided those were just too neat to pass up. And if you ever get a chance to shop in a Mennonite store, do it! They have so many interesting things in bulk there. I mean, I once saw a big bag of those little marshmallows like the kind in Lucky Charms. Yeah. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkXubOkbQV_4gRnyh7tTJn6fC1NikzWsLfisyRcnmZXOB4dKtAafxQyDIIAkvQFTsCk3nveS8cmmKg6pKtKolyMQ2jbOglzvdwXPlQgC9TWrT_8MDUTks8me3yI_39VDtynb-at7obfpZ/s1600/201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkXubOkbQV_4gRnyh7tTJn6fC1NikzWsLfisyRcnmZXOB4dKtAafxQyDIIAkvQFTsCk3nveS8cmmKg6pKtKolyMQ2jbOglzvdwXPlQgC9TWrT_8MDUTks8me3yI_39VDtynb-at7obfpZ/s320/201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I had these lemon chips for a while before I finally decided what I would use them for. Coconut Lemon Chip cookies. Also, Shelly over at <a href="http://cookiesandcups.com/">Cookies & Cups</a> (her blog is too cute and I envy it so!) talked about adding a tablespoon of corn starch to cookies to make them bake up more. I thought, I gotta try that! The only thing I will say is that I noticed my dough was a lot dryer. So much so that I couldn’t get everything mixed. I ended up adding another egg to just get it all to hold together. Keep that in mind if you try the corn starch trick.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIE6K-iJyrVHg-wimKdO9DCZ5Kr6kOoFQBdbOibCjhjx4iuu7JPZdbcXkzIJoYcZuV8MicOfY2EcqXTGWCeyh78W69RkrkF-3-XUUHduXND19B51g72wmhkh6KJbbTpswxUlDzMAhe4zKG/s1600/202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIE6K-iJyrVHg-wimKdO9DCZ5Kr6kOoFQBdbOibCjhjx4iuu7JPZdbcXkzIJoYcZuV8MicOfY2EcqXTGWCeyh78W69RkrkF-3-XUUHduXND19B51g72wmhkh6KJbbTpswxUlDzMAhe4zKG/s400/202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Anyway, the cookies turned out beautiful! Seriously, I don’t remember when I made such pretty cookies. They were also crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They didn’t last very many days, but they remained crispy/chewy thereafter. I would say adding corn starch will be a good thing, especially when you have dough that is a bit too thin and your cookies spread out all over the place. <br />
<br />
<u>Coconut Lemon Chip Cookies</u><br />
2 cups all purpose flour<br />
¾ tsp baking soda<br />
½ tsp salt<br />
1 T corn starch<br />
1 cup softened butter<br />
½ cup sugar<br />
½ cup packed brown sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
Lemon or white baking chips<br />
1 cup flake coconut<br />
<br />
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and corn starch in a bowl. In another bowl beat butter, sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually at to flour mixture. Stir in chips and coconut. Bake in 350 deg. oven for 12 minutes. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhsYJYCWIGTcLPwbcXkZbqauxBTN0NrHfpIQ21_AT0wd9YVK-1JBh4J2y2PzTTCpKeFqwS_V-wsL8q0PrDGzV5-NtWeYGyh-lOS_LZiWNgMX17ZDrzu6do6az9UWXIJKGh-sOkwU1VoRC/s1600/210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhsYJYCWIGTcLPwbcXkZbqauxBTN0NrHfpIQ21_AT0wd9YVK-1JBh4J2y2PzTTCpKeFqwS_V-wsL8q0PrDGzV5-NtWeYGyh-lOS_LZiWNgMX17ZDrzu6do6az9UWXIJKGh-sOkwU1VoRC/s400/210.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
P.S. I tried adding corn starch to my favorite "Naughty Monkey Cookies" but didn't like how it turned the normally cake like/chewy cookie into a drier cookie. I still say the corn starch trick is great for cookies that tend to do too much spreading out, like traditional chocolate chip.</div>
</span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-85064881687355756632013-03-24T12:25:00.000-07:002013-03-24T15:17:54.287-07:00Coconut Blueberry Cozy Coffee Cake for a Winter Day<span lang="EN"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/b2a5f211-54f6-4ce5-8162-a499bdbbe196_zps3471f116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/b2a5f211-54f6-4ce5-8162-a499bdbbe196_zps3471f116.jpg" ssa="true" width="400" /></a></div>
Spring is fickle. One day its warm and green sprouts are popping up. The next day there’s a major snow storm. Like today. This is what its doing out there.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/4c1d57dd-0f24-40ad-9ae1-a91408788127_zps94b87fca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/4c1d57dd-0f24-40ad-9ae1-a91408788127_zps94b87fca.jpg" ssa="true" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />A great day to stay home. Except we had tickets to a Comic Con downtown. *grumps* But I can’t exactly be mad about staying inside and being cozy on a wintery day. Yes, I’ll just get my blanket and watch a movie! After I do laundry, clean the bathrooms, and think about dinner. And bake something. See, this is why I don’t rest much. <br /><br />Once again I had some geriatric fruit that needed to be put out of its misery. So I leafed through my huge stack of “recipes I’d like to try” to find something. I found a Coconut Blueberry Cake with Lemon Glaze. Bingo! (God knows how long I’ve held on this recipe)<br /><br />In searching my supplies I discovered that my cooking oil had that old, yicky smell. I never like using a whole cup or even a half a cup of oil in baking. I know it’s needed, but geesh, that’s a lot of oil. I decided to substitute apple sauce and one old banana. Also I was suspicious about the validity of my baking powder. It says it expired in January. But that’s what my baking adventures are all about!! Also, I didn’t quite have 1 ½ cups of blueberries, I just used what I had (which was hardly a cup, I’d say)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/cf64b2b2-405c-403a-954e-f5ae24bf652d_zps3d5e1b57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/cf64b2b2-405c-403a-954e-f5ae24bf652d_zps3d5e1b57.jpg" ssa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/002-1_zps91e1edb6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/002-1_zps91e1edb6.jpg" ssa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Everything mixed up nicely and baked pretty well. Except I felt it wasn’t browning, like, at all. So I left it in a total of about 30 minutes. And though it never browned up a lot, it did seem to be cooked all the way through and it wasn’t totally flat, so the baking powder wasn’t completely bad.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/014_zpsa7e0b3b9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/014_zpsa7e0b3b9.jpg" ssa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
To make the glaze it called for lemon rind. Okay, who, outside of people who live in the south and have lemon trees in their yard keep lemons on hand?? I will buy one when cooking plans call for it. But they aren’t laying around here. So I made due with the dried lemon peel and kinda fake lemon juice in the plastic lemon (like that fools anyone). The glaze cooked up fine also, but I started feeling kind of bad about those hard flecks of lemon peel. So I strained them out. If you're savvy enough to keep fresh lemon on hand, you won’t need to do this. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/010_zps21018015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/010_zps21018015.jpg" ssa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
Mr. M. and I had a piece while it was all still hot. It was yum, I gotta say. And Mr. M. agreed. It was a denser cake, which made it seem more like a coffee cake. I feel like you can never go wrong with a nice coffee cake on a snowy day, though, right??<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/019_zpsff917789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/019_zpsff917789.jpg" ssa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><u>Coconut Blueberry Coffee Cake</u><br />2 cups all purpose flour<br />1 cup sugar<br />3 teaspoons baking powder<br />¼ tsp salt<br />2 eggs<br />1 cup milk<br />1 tsp vanilla<br />½ cup vegetable oil or apple sauce<br />1 ½ cup blueberries<br />1 cup flake coconut<br /><br />In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat eggs, milk and oil/apple sauce. Stir into dry ingredients just until moist. Fold in blueberries and coconut.<br />Transfer to a greased 13”X 9” baking dish. Bake at 375 for 22-24 min.<br /><br /><u>Lemon Sauce</u><br />½ cup sugar<br />4 ½ tsps cornstarch<br />1 tsp grated lemon peel<br />1 cup water<br />1 T butter<br />2 T lemon juice<br /><br />In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and lemon peel. Gradually add water until blended. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in butter and lemon juice. Drizzle sauce on pieces of cake.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/015_zps13bab782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/015_zps13bab782.jpg" ssa="true" width="320" /></a></div>
</span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-41563525867694830252013-02-17T14:51:00.000-08:002013-02-18T08:33:01.293-08:00Fruit Crisp<span lang="EN"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/029_zps8470976e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/029_zps8470976e.jpg" uea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
It’s only taken me two months to get back to food blogging. During that time I did bake. And I did even do some creative stuff. But taking the time to record each step is sometimes too much to even imagine adding to the routine.<br />
<br />
Something I have discovered though; I’ve become my mother. Or perhaps more accurately, my <em>grand mother</em>. I hate to waste food. And it isn’t like I just started having to buy my own food! I’ve been buying my own food for over 20 years. Maybe it is a middle-age thing. But I hate to see stuff go into the garbage just because no one got around to eating it. We are SO lazy here. ‘OMG, I have to actually peel a banana before I put it in my mouth??’ ‘I have to cook the meat first?? On the stove?? ARRGGhhhhhh… Too much work. I’ll have cereal.’<br />
<br />
Fresh produce is the worst. It takes so much work to fix into something everyone will eat. And most nights, I don’t have that much energy. And when I’m looking for a quick snack, most of the time fruit just won’t do it. Add to that a chronic illness that makes a high fiber diet really uncomfortable and well, fresh produce is just almost a waste for us.<br />
<br />
So the Kid says to me that he likes Red Delicious apples. I feel bad that I don’t feed him well enough. I buy a bag of small Red Delicious apples. I don’t like Red Delicious. Apples are not kind to me anymore, but I do love them. Jazz, Gala, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp are my favorites. Red Delicious a mealy, dry and flavorless. Only suitable for baking. But the Kid says….<br />
<br />
I ask him later if he saw I got him apples. He said yeah, he tried one, and it was bad, so…. I puffed up like an angry hen. "Sometimes apples have a bad spot! It doesn't mean they’re all bad! What am I going to do with a bag of apples??” <br />
<br />
They sit for a while until I need to make a cake for a birthday and decide to add some apples to a box caramel cake (with brown sugar glaze, it was tasty). I cut into four apples and was only able to use three of them and even those were a third or more rotten. I had to apologize to the Kid later for trying to foist off rotten apples on him. <br />
<br />
So these apples are still sitting there. Rotten. And I can’t get myself to just pitch them. Then I had a bag of dried figs (I ADORE dried figs) that were dry and fibery and rather nasty. Yet, I couldn’t pitch them. And there were just a handful of shriveled blueberries in my fridge. What’s wrong with me? Do I think I’m saving children from starvation in some third world country if I keep this stuff?? <br />
<br />
Bake or get off the pot, right?? So I decided to make Fruit Crisp. It is adapted from a pie recipe I found in a cookbook. It’s pretty easy and I think would work for any fruit combo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/016_zpsdf0b7f37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/016_zpsdf0b7f37.jpg" uea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
One interesting thing is you can use about anything for the liquid. I used 7-Up because its what I had. But I have used Ginger ale and pineapple juice before.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/019_zps481881cf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/017_zps62e9051f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/017_zps62e9051f.jpg" uea="true" width="271" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/019_zps481881cf.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Serve it warm with some ice cream or whipped cream and it will be a cozy, happy thing. But honestly, I ate it plain and even after it had cooled it was very nice! </div>
<br />
Enjoy, folks! And don’t be wasteful. Kids are starving in Africa. Eat well.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Fruit Crisp</u></strong><br />
2-3 Cups chopped fruit (apples, pears, berries, dried fruit)<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1 cup - plus ¼ cup 7-Up, apple juice, pineapple juice or Ginger-ale <br />
1 T corn starch<br />
<br />
Put chopped fruit in a pan with lemon juice, cinnamon and 1 cup of liquid. Cook till hot. Add corn starch to ¼ cup liquid, stir to dissolve and add to hot fruit mix. Cook until thickened.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/021_zps3dec9574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/021_zps3dec9574.jpg" uea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
<strong><u>Topping</u></strong><br />
½ cup flour<br />
½ cup oats<br />
½ cup butter<br />
½ cup walnuts<br />
½ cup brown sugar<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/023_zpse95e0b87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/023_zpse95e0b87.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/024_zpsf8014c22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/024_zpsf8014c22.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a>In a large bowl combine flour, sugar and butter, cut with pastry cutter until mixed into small pieces. Add oats and nuts.</div>
<br />
Put fruit in 9X9 greased pan and top with crumb topping. Bake in 350 oven for 20 min until hot and bubbly and topping is slightly brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/025_zpsc554d2fc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/025_zpsc554d2fc.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/027_zpsc427c0e4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/027_zpsc427c0e4.jpg" uea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-72156555534189581642012-12-17T08:16:00.000-08:002012-12-17T08:16:12.333-08:00Swedish Pepparkakor (Don't giggle when you say it)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121211_194919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121211_194919.jpg" eea="true" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I started my blog I swore that I would share the kitchen failures as well as the successes. So far I've had successes for the holiday season. But yet again I have suffered from my worst habit and probably the main cause of a lot of my kitchen flubs; being in a hurry. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I would love to have nothing else to do but play in the kitchen. As it is, I work full time, care for a couple fur-kids, a part time human kid and a full time cohabitating partner (Mr. M.). Plus I have a dinky little kitchen that doesn't inspire me to spend a lot of time in it. Usually its a battle for space with me cussing at the microwave and coffee maker for hogging up so much room. I see the lavishly decorated cookies on Pinterest that are just way too pretty to simply eat and wonder about the time spent on something that is intended to be chewed up and swallowed like any regular food. That said, I do appreciate some visual esthetics with food.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, what I'm saying is that since these spice cookies were my last baking project of the holiday season and it was 7pm at night, I had worked the whole day and my giveashit-o-meter was way down, this was not my proudest achievement. They weren't rolled out thin enough and so they spread out all over the too-crowded baking sheets, making trees, hearts and little men look like shapeless blobs. The decorating was just some colored sugars thrown on. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Honestly, if you give yourself a little more time these can be a lovely Christmas cookie reminiscent of old world holiday spices. Even my deformed treats tasted good! A nice change from traditional gingerbread, these cookies have a nice orange flavor and are addictively crunchy. Mr. M. said they are best dunked in a cold glass of milk for a few seconds.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_122055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_122055.jpg" eea="true" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Swedish Pepparkakor (Pepper cake)</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 cup butter</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 1/2 cup sugar</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 egg beaten</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2 T corn syrup</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>3 cups flour</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2 tsp baking soda</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 tsp cinnamon</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 tsp cloves</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1/2 tsp ginger</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 tsp cardamom</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>rind of 1 orange</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and corn syrup. Sift together dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture. Wrap in plastic and refrigerator for a few days. </em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_124152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_124152.jpg" eea="true" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Take out of fridge and let come to room temperature or a bit cooler. Roll out thin, cut into shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and decorate with sugar. Bake 350 for 10 min or until edges turn brown.</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Other hints: Watch that cook time!! I found 10 minutes was too much. 8 minutes was a little better for my oven.</em> <em>As you can see from the picture I didn't have an orange but a bunch of clementines, which I figured would work. They did.</em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121211_194949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121211_194949.jpg" eea="true" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Since this was my last offical baking item for the holidays, I am done! D-O-N-E. Presents bought and wrapped, cards sent out, decorations up. It is time to just sit back and relax (and watch all the last minute types run around like caffeinated ants at a picnic. So, in case I am heard from no more this season I'll take this time to wish everyone a Very Happy, Merry, Festive Holiday, Christmas, Hanukah, Festivus!!</span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-2131706249426215062012-12-13T12:04:00.000-08:002012-12-13T12:04:58.044-08:00In Support of Egg Nog: Egg Nog Tea Bread<span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;">
<div dir="ltr">
<a href="http://moore-reading-and-eating.blogspot.com/2012/12/in-support-of-fruit-cake-cherry-almond.html#comment-form"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I mentioned before</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"> about a common punching bag of the holiday season, Fruitcake. As promised, I will move on to the next innocent butt of a lot of holiday sneering, Egg nog. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/EggNogTeaBread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/EggNogTeaBread.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I adore Egg nog! I think a lot of people who claim to hate egg nog have not actually tried it. They keep imagining how straight egg in a glass of milk would taste. That isn't the flavor of egg nog at all (though I know that if you make egg nog yourself you will indeed use a bunch of raw eggs). But disliking egg nog because it has raw egg in it makes no more sense then not eating raw cookie dough (and we all do that!!) because it has raw egg in it. Essentially, you can't taste the egg. The taste is rich, sweet, creamy and nutmeg-y. How can that be bad? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">I like it cold served with some nice holiday cookies. A bit of whiskey or rum thrown in is A-OK to me too! And because I'm a hypocrite who will inhale a pound of peanut butter fudge but only drink skim milk, I usually buy 'lite' egg nog. It's a more refreshing consistency (same thing I think about skim vs. 2% milk). Also when it comes to baking, I don't miss the extra fat, but I hope my ass does. I have also cut regular egg nog with some skim milk. Again, it's just a nicer drink, I think.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">This sweet bread is a super easy recipe perfect for the holiday season that I found in this amazing little cook booklet my Mom got in a stack of cookbooks one year. This is such an amazing little book! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_124535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_124535.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Each recipe starts with a cake mix. Every one is easy. And I've made many in this book and each one is really good! So this <strong>Egg Nog Tea Bread</strong> became a staple for holiday baking. It makes great small loaves perfect for giving or pairing up with a cup of coffee. It's not too sweet or too heavy.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_125701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_125701.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tms Rmn;"><div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Eggnog Tea Bread</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 pkg pound cake</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>3/4 cup egg nog</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1/2 tsp nutmeg</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2 large eggs</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 cup powdered sugar</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2 T eggnog</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Combine mix, eggnog, nutmeg and eggs in a large bowl and mix with electric mixer for 3 min. Pour into greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons eggnog and drizzle over bread when cool.</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_144926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121208_144926.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Other Hints: Every time I make this bread I forget how sticky and gloopy the batter is when you mix it up. I always fear I've messed something up until I remember its always that way. I think it's just the egg nog that makes it that way. Remember if you make one or two bigger loaves to watch the cooking time. My 8 small loaves took more like 25 min.</em></span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Teabread2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Teabread2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
</span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-45181432039195259832012-12-11T08:56:00.001-08:002012-12-11T08:56:33.896-08:00In Support of Fruit Cake: Cherry Almond Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/CherryAlmondBars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/CherryAlmondBars.jpg" height="400" width="314" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The world is divided into two types of people that become very evident this time of year: People who love fruit cake and people who <em>hate </em>fruit cake. I am of the first group. I do not understand what ISN'T to love about a rich, dense cake with nuts and chewy candied fruit!! Do people hate nuts? Do they hate candied fruit (which is the best form of fruit)? You hear people whining about "mysterious colored chunks of things" in fruit cake and you wonder if people are that paranoid about eating something that they can't immediately identify. Like these folks are giving their Chicken McNuggets a critical once over. Now, before everyone decides to foist off their unwanted fruit cakes to me, let me say that the reason I don't buy or make one for myself is that the only other person I know who likes fruit cake is my Mom and neither of us need to consume an 8,000 calorie cake by ourselves.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Following the "only make it once a year" theme of my Christmas baking is a festive 'almost-like-a-fruit-cake-but-not' bar called Cherry Almond Bars. What I like are the pretty red and green colors and how sweet and chewy it is without being as time consuming or as expensive as a fruit cake. BTW, picky people, the "unidentified parts" of a fruit cake are what usually make it so expensive and heavy; candied cherries (red and green), candied pineapple, dates, raisins, possibly apples and currents, and nuts. This bar uses just the candied cherries and raisins and almonds and the ease of a Magic Seven Layer Bar. And I've even had people who said they didn't care for fruit cake say this was a darn tasty bar!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_113118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_113118.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Cherry Almond Bars</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2 cups flour</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1/2 cup packed brown sugar</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 cup cold butter</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 cup golden raisins</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 cup chopped red and green candied cherries</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 cup slivered almonds</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 can sweetened condensed milk</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Combine flower and brown sugar, cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 15"X10" pan. Bake at 325 for 12-14 min or lightly brown. Sprinkle with raisins, cherries and almonds, drizzle with milk. Bake 25-30 min longer. </em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_115057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_115057.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Save some of the cherries for decorating other treats. I'm using those I've set aside to make hollies for a Christmas cake.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_120543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_120543.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Other hints: I used a standard cake pan. I have no idea what a 15"X10" pan is. My cake pan nor my cookie sheet/jelly roll pans measured that, so I just used what I had. It was probably a little thicker cookie than intended so adjust the baking time. I happened to have just a bit of fresh orange juice left over from another recipe so I added a few table spoons to the condensed milk. Also, after I made this I realized a wonderful change (especially if you don't like raisins) is to swap them out for white chocolate chips! Imagine, a Chocolate Cherry Almond Bar!! Next year.....next year.....</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even if people can't manage to choke down something even remotely related to fruit cake they will surely appreciate the festive, jolly appearance of such a holiday-appropriate dessert. Frankly, I'd happily eat most of them myself with a cool glass of egg nog (and more on that abused and besmirched Christmas time drink in another post!)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_153015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121209_153015.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-49787960421170824682012-12-10T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-10T08:00:20.560-08:00No Fail (Really) Peanut Butter Fudge<span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;">
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">This last weekend was a rush of holiday baking! Since the weekend before had been too warm to spend in a hot little kitchen, I put it off. This weekend was a blessing of cool, rainy, dreary days perfect for baking. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">As promised, I have documented my holiday baking to let you all in on my super secret <strike>lucky</strike> successful ways to give <strike>cheap</strike> yummy gifts to your friends and family. Most of these items I bake year after year and my friends and family are probably tired of them. But I'm not...probably because I only make them once a year. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/pbfudge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/pbfudge.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">The first treat is one I adore any time I can get my sticky little hands on it. But I myself will only bake once a year (because otherwise I'd hoard it all and devour it in one day and have a terrible stomach ache). <strong>No Fail Peanut Butter Fudge</strong>. And when I say "no fail," I mean it. I cannot do candy. I can't even do anything that requires a candy thermometer. I've tried! The White Fruit & Nut Fudge Fiasco of 2010 is still vivid in my memory. Even the Rice Crispy Treats made with Karo and peanut butter NEVER turn out of me. I can make homemade soup and gravy and even homemade sugar free pudding! But I can't do candy!!! Except for this. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">My Mom, who is cursed with a similar candy-cooking affliction, found this recipe and we both can attest, it <u>always</u> works. Even when I'm standing there cooking the milk and sugar on the stove and thinking "This isn't going to work. It's going to be grainy and runny then hard as a rock." But it always has. It's really THAT idiot proof! And, perhaps I failed to mention, it's yummy as hell!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/DSC00013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/DSC00013.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
</span></span><span style="font-family: Tms Rmn;"><div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Peanut Butter Fudge</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>2 cups sugar</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1/2 cup milk</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 1/3 cup peanut butter</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 jar marshmallow cream</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>1 tsp vanilla</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>In sauce pan bring milk and sugar to a boil for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add peanut butter, vanilla and marshmallow cream. Pour into a greased or lined pan. Let cool then cut.</em></span></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Other helpful hints: I didn't used to believe in the power of lining your pans with foil, but it has really saved me this year. No more prying cookie bars and fudge off the sides of the pan, no more messy clean up. I highly recommend it. Also, for this recipe you could use chunky peanut butter if you like. I don't see why it wouldn't work. I have nothing against chunky peanut butter but I just like the smooth texture of fudge</span>.</em></span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, it's okay to sneak a few pieces for yourself. But the people you give it too will be the most pleased. And honestly, it's just best to get it out of the house before you make yourself sick.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/peanutbutter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img bea="true" border="0" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/peanutbutter2.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></div>
</span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-90564900408072502662012-12-07T13:24:00.000-08:002012-12-07T13:24:05.718-08:00Let it begin!Merry-Happy-Joyous Whatever, folks! I'm an equal opportunity celebrator as long as cookies, drinks and good food are involved. If presents factor in, I'm doubly on board!<br />
<br />
So far for this year I'm mostly ahead of the game. Shopping is 95% done. The tree is up and all the decorations (that are getting out) are out. The Christmas cards are started. The baking is starting to happen. On one hand I don't want to do it too soon and have it get all stale and moldy before I get it sent out or delivered. On the other, I don't like to be running like (any more of a) mad woman that last week before the holiday. <br />
<br />
Most of my holiday baking is standard year after year. And it's easy stuff. I also throw in one or two new things each year also. My baked goods get given as gifts mostly. In fact I often have very little if anything left for my own consumption, which is stupid because I make stuff I like and probably the people I give it to don't like! But, oh well, it's how I celebrate. And I'mma gonna share it wit y'all here! <br />
<br />
Any other tid bits of help I can come up with I will also add. But honestly, I don't have any nuggets of knowledge or efficiency that no one else possesses. Mostly its, "Don't wait until the last minute, people!!" And "Do only what you enjoy and enjoy what you do." If you hate doing Christmas cards, don't do them! Simple. If you enjoy decorating a tree but don't have or want one of your own, ask to be invited to a friend or family's place to participate in the event. Mostly I believe in creating your own holiday to enjoy. Don't think you have to do everything perfect the way everyone else does so we all have the same cookie-cutter, 1950s style traditional Christmas. That causes stress and resentment. If a fun holiday to you means eating a pizza while you watch old Godzilla movies----have fun! If it means traditional egg nog and carols around the family piano---go crazy! <br />
<br />
I'm kind of a traditional gal who likes things low key. So my traditional baking has to be easy ....but LOOK fancy! I'll share all I know here. If anyone has any special tips or tricks they use to make the holidays easier, I encourage the participation.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Mochasaysrelax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" nea="true" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Mochasaysrelax.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Now, go enjoy yourself before it gets too hectic...Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-73404419507892814672012-11-30T14:06:00.002-08:002012-11-30T14:06:19.390-08:00The (Drunk) Naughty Monkey<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Originally posted April 2012 on LiveJournal)</span><br />
<br />
Doesn't that sound wonderfully kink? Or at least curiously embarrassing?? Or how about tasty and delicious?? Well, it can!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Naughtymonkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Naughtymonkeys.jpg" tea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I've been in the kitchen "experimenting" again. This time I had two bananas so old they had their AARP cards delivered and a hankering for a really good cookie, something with peanut butter and maybe oatmeal!<br />
<br />
So I created a little yummy Frankenstein I like to call the Naughty Monkey. If you like banana bread and peanut butter cookies combined, this is your thing. It has banana, oatmeal, peanut butter, walnuts and chocolate chips in it. What else could you want? How about a cocktail? I knwo I do! How about this wonderful Cosmopolitan Cake Martini? <em>*hic*</em> I've had two. They're fhamsashkitcal. <em>*hic*</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Cosmo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/Cosmo.jpg" tea="true" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>Naughty Monkeys</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 cup butter</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 cup peanut butter</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 cup white sugar</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 cup packed brown sugar</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 egg</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 tsp vanilla</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
2 ripe bananas (mashed)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 tsp salt</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
2 cups flour</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 2/3-2 cups oatmeal</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 tsp bakiong powder</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 tsp baking soda</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
chopped walnuts</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Heat oven to 350 deg. Beat the first 7 ingredients until fluffy. Add the next 5 ingredients. Finally add nuts and chips. Chill in the fridge for a few minutes before baking. Drop by spoonfulls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 min. Let cool before you shove them into your mouth. Makes a huge amount but dough freezes well. ENJOY!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20120406_172136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20120406_172136.jpg" tea="true" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>I got baaaaad news. They are even better the second day.</em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<u>Cosmopolitcan Cake Martini</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Calorie Free Cosmopolitan Martini mix (World Market)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Cake flavored vodka</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ice</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Shake it all up and go bake something!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-21684654852224360382012-11-30T13:26:00.000-08:002012-11-30T13:26:41.829-08:00Pumpkin Ginger BlossomsThis is a little late in the season (since you can't even FIND Pumpkin Spice Kisses anymore) but I thought I'd give a try to this blogging thing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121030_194130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af135/Snapekat/IMG_20121030_194130.jpg" tea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
My first offer to the internet baking gods is a super easy creation I developed from my love of the Peanut Butter Blossom cookies and all the inspiration Pinterest gives me. I realized that the Blossom cookie is just a templet for ANY cookie with a Hershey Kiss on it. I mean you can take ANY Kiss, pair it with ANY cookie and you get a _____ Blossom. <br />
<br />
I love new things, different things. Don't give me plain old regular anything! Throw in everything but the kitchen sink! New flavors of old standards are great! Pumpkin Spice Kisses??? GENIUS! They taste smooth, creamy and cinnamon-y as pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.<br />
<br />
For this cookie I took regular store bought Gingerbread Cookie mix, fixed as directed for Gingersnaps. I formed the dough into little balls but did NOT mash them down before cooking. As soon as they were out of the oven I pressed an unwrapped Pumpkin Kiss on top.<br />
<br />
They were even better than I imagined (and I had a pretty explicit imagination on this). Chewy and creamy. We crammed several into our mouths that very night and had few left over.<br />
<br />
But this proved my very scientific theory; any Kiss + any cookie = YUM.<br />
<br />
Keep this in mind this Christmas when you can buy Cherry Cordial and Mint Kisses and plop those babies on top of some chocoalte cookies or any combination you can dream up!<span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6630401475093545924.post-27541369948639539852012-11-30T12:46:00.001-08:002012-11-30T12:46:34.002-08:00Greetings possible readers! <span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Helv; font-size: x-small;">
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
I have decided to start this blog to exercise a bit of creativity in some of my hobbies; reading and eating/cooking. I really enjoy reading other cooking and baking blogs and since half of my attempts are (entertaining) disasters, I thought I'd start to document some of my adventures. Some are really successful. Some are just examples of what not to do in a kitchen. But hopefully we ALL learn from it.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
I'm also hoping to expand upon my writing skills and leave some room for promotion of any future writing endeavors I develop. I hope someone decides to give me a read and that I'm not just posting to a cyber-cricket filled blogosphere. </span></span>Miss Whiskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15027260358959817076noreply@blogger.com0